I’m not very good at lighting fires. I found this out when I purchased a chiminea and tried my hand at fire-starting. Thankfully I had a few friends over and handed the job over to them, making it look like a gracious privilege rather than focusing on my inability to encourage flames.
I’ve got a friend who lit a fire in me just yesterday. She talked honestly about a stark and dark place she’s working in. No one wants to be there. No one seems to care enough, if at all. There’s no one to carry the light. She’s seen a need and she’s willing. There are so many problems and issues that could overwhelm her but she’s choosing to focus on bringing light and love into the situation.
I don’t want her to go it alone, so I said yes. Actually, I said, “I’m with you!” We get too used to saying no. I don’t know about you, but I’m too used to being sensible and reasonable. Whilst the absence of wisdom is foolishness, the absence of light is darkness and the absence of life is death. We’re too used to being boring. I don’t serve a sensible and reasonable God. They’re just not words I’d associate with Jesus. I serve God who says ‘yes’, and who uses the foolish to bring light and life.
How can we be part of the party if we refuse the invitation? He can we scale a wall if we never dared to think it possible? I understand the need for boundaries and balance, I really do. They’re necessary for change to be effective and for us to refuel and work well. I do wonder if boundaries have grown and developed into something they were never meant to be, though. There’s a point where our protection turns into preventative measures. I wonder if it’s about time that being a yes-man/woman was a good thing. I’m also wondering if the process of building the fire becomes more touch-paper exciting as we strike each match of opportunity? I’m going to try it and see what happens!
